There’s a moment in a young artist’s life when everything stops. For Bronx rapper Lil Tjay, that moment came on June 22, 2022, when he was shot seven times during an attempted robbery in Edgewater, New Jersey. What followed — a two-week coma, months of rehabilitation, and a quiet return to the studio — left fans with more questions than answers. This article pieces together the verified medical timeline, his own words from interviews, and what we actually know about his recovery and career since that night.
Date of shooting: June 22, 2022 ·
Number of gunshot wounds: 7 ·
Coma duration: approximately 2 weeks ·
Age at time of shooting: 21 ·
Net worth estimate (2025): $3–5 million ·
Number of studio albums: 3
Quick snapshot
- Shot 7 times on June 22, 2022 (Sony Music Canada)
- Medically induced coma for ~2 weeks (iHeart)
- First public comments on August 26, 2022 (Vulture)
- Returned to studio ~8 weeks after shooting (Sony Music Canada)
- Exact net worth not independently verified; estimates vary $3–5 million
- Long-term vocal cord impact from gunshot injuries not medically documented
- Legal case status of alleged shooter not publicly finalized
- Exact hospital release date not confirmed by family or medical records
- Exact birth year of his daughter not independently verified; son born 2019 confirmed
- Real name (Tione Jayden Merritt) commonly accepted but not sourced from official records
- Shooting: June 22, 2022 (Los Angeles Times)
- Breathing tube removed: June 30, 2022 (iHeart)
- First track post-shooting: August 26, 2022 (Vulture)
- Album ‘222’ released: July 2023 (Billboard)
- Ongoing tour dates from 2024
- New music releases expected in 2025
- Potential legal developments in shooting case
- Continued recovery monitoring
Here is a quick reference of key facts about Lil Tjay.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Tione Jayden Merritt |
| Date of shooting | June 22, 2022 |
| Number of gunshot wounds | 7 |
| Coma duration | 2 weeks (medically induced) |
| Alleged shooter | Mohamed Konate |
| Children | A son (born 2019) and a daughter (born 2023) |
| Net worth (estimate) | $3–5 million |
What happened to Lil Tjay?
The shooting incident in Edgewater, New Jersey
On the evening of June 22, 2022, Lil Tjay was in Edgewater, New Jersey, when an attempted robbery turned violent. According to the Los Angeles Times (major news outlet), he was shot seven times — wounds to the chest, leg, and arm. Emergency responders transported him to a nearby hospital, where he underwent immediate surgery. The Sony Music Canada (record label release) described the incident as life-threatening, noting that the bullets struck his neck, chest, and lungs.
The alleged shooter, Mohamed Konate, was arrested and charged. Reports from iHeart (music news outlet) indicated that by June 22 itself, doctors said he was out of surgery and improving. But the path to recovery was just beginning.
Lil Tjay survived what many wouldn’t. Seven hits from a firearm, including vital organ areas, and he was talking within a week.
Lil Tjay faced a statistical anomaly: surviving seven gunshot wounds to the neck, chest, and lungs. His youth (21 at the time) and prompt surgical care likely made the difference between life and permanent loss.
Immediate aftermath and medical response
In the hours after the shooting, REVOLT (hip-hop news platform) reported he was still unconscious. Surgeons worked to remove bullets and repair internal damage. By June 30, 2022, iHeart (music news outlet) reported that his breathing tube had been removed, and he was conscious and speaking.
Key recovery milestones:
- June 22, 2022: Shooting occurred; emergency surgery performed.
- June 30, 2022: Breathing tube removed; patient conscious and talking.
- Early July 2022: Released from hospital to begin rehabilitation.
- August 26, 2022: First public statement and new track released.
The implication: his survival story is one of medical resilience and personal drive.
How many times was Lil Tjay shot?
Number of gunshot wounds and their locations
Seven bullets struck Lil Tjay on June 22, 2022. The Billboard (music industry publication) reported that the injuries affected his lungs, neck, and chest. Sony Music Canada (record label release) corroborated these specifics, calling the attack a “life-threatening incident.”
Ballistic evidence from the scene played a role in court proceedings against the alleged shooter. The number of wounds — seven — matches the count of bullets that hit him, suggesting no stray or secondary projectiles. Surgery was required to remove the bullets and repair the damage they caused to his lungs and chest cavity.
The pattern: each wound was in a critical zone. The neck alone carries carotid arteries, the jugular, and the trachea. Surviving even one such hit is rare.
For any young musician, seven gunshot wounds to vital areas would end not just a career but a life. That Lil Tjay returned to recording within two months speaks to both his physical resilience and the quality of trauma care he received.
How long was Lil Tjay in a coma?
Coma duration and recovery milestones
iHeart (music news outlet) reports that Lil Tjay was placed in a medically induced coma for approximately two weeks. This is a standard medical protocol for patients with severe trauma, allowing the body to heal without the stress of consciousness. The breathing tube was removed on June 30, 2022, and doctors confirmed he was conscious and able to talk at that point.
Lil Tjay himself stated in a Billboard (music industry publication) interview that he has no memory of the shooting or the coma. “I woke up weeks later in a hospital bed,” he recounted. That gap in memory is common among medically induced coma survivors — the brain essentially skips the traumatic period.
The trade-off: a coma preserves life, but it also creates a blank space in personal history. For Lil Tjay, those two weeks — and the shooting that preceded them — exist only as a story told by others.
Hospitalization timeline
He was hospitalized from June 22, 2022, through early July 2022 — roughly two and a half weeks. The exact discharge date has not been confirmed by family or medical records, but all media reports place him at home and in rehabilitation by mid-July 2022.
Sony Music Canada (record label release) noted that he returned to the studio about eight weeks after the shooting, indicating a faster-than-average physical recovery. However, the psychological recovery — dealing with the trauma of a near-death experience and the ongoing legal case — likely continues.
The catch: the gap in memory remains a lasting psychological scar.
Why did Lil Tjay fall off?
Career timeline before and after the shooting
Before the shooting, Lil Tjay was on a steep upward trajectory. His last studio album before the attack, Destined 2 Win, released in 2021, peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. He had millions of monthly listeners on Spotify and a growing fanbase.
Then everything paused. The shooting on June 22, 2022 halted all live performances, recordings, and promotional activity. For over a year, he released no new music while recovering. In the music industry, that gap can feel like a lifetime — especially for a young artist whose audience moves fast.
After recovery, he released the album 222 in July 2023. The project debuted at number 50 on the Billboard 200 — a significant drop from Destined 2 Win‘s performance. Singles like “June 22nd” and “Project Walls” addressed the shooting directly, but they didn’t replicate the chart success of his pre-2022 work.
Album release delays and fan perception
Billboard (music industry publication) reported that a year after the shooting, Tjay said he felt physically and mentally well. But the chart performance of 222 suggests that audience attention had shifted. Fans who followed him during his recovery were deeply moved by his survival story; the broader streaming public, however, had moved on to new releases.
The pattern: a violent interruption in an artist’s prime often reshapes their trajectory. For every Tupac or 50 Cent who turned trauma into commercial fuel, there are artists whose momentum simply evaporates in the hospital. Lil Tjay sits in the middle — he survived, returned, and still commands a loyal base, but the mainstream chart peak of 2021 has not been recaptured.
Did Lil Tjay have kids?
Lil Tjay’s family and children
Yes, Lil Tjay has children. According to his public statements and online profiles, he has a son named T.J., born in 2019. In interviews after the shooting, he also mentioned a daughter who was born after the incident, in 2023.
These two children anchor his personal life alongside his music career. His role as a father — especially to a child born after his near-death experience — adds a layer of perspective to his recovery and his drive to keep making music.
The trade-off: balancing parenthood with a career that nearly ended by violence is a heavy load. But for Lil Tjay, it’s also a motivator. In his own words, he wants to be there for his kids, which means staying alive and staying active.
How many bullets did Lil Tjay survive?
Ballistic details of the shooting
Lil Tjay survived seven bullets. The number is consistent across all major sources: Los Angeles Times (major news outlet), Sony Music Canada (record label release), and Billboard (music industry publication).
Ballistic evidence from the scene was part of the court proceedings against Mohamed Konate. The fact that all seven bullets struck him — none missed — suggests the shooter was at close range and intended to inflict maximum harm. That Lil Tjay survived any of these is medically remarkable; surviving all seven is extraordinary.
Seven bullets hitting vital areas (neck, chest, lungs) with a zero-percent miss rate means this was not a random spray. The legal case’s outcome could reveal more about the shooter’s intent, which in turn affects how fans and the industry view the attack.
Why is Lil Tjay’s voice so high?
Vocal anatomy and musical style analysis
Lil Tjay’s tenor vocal range is a natural characteristic, not an affectation. In interviews, he has discussed his voice as part of his signature style. The high pitch of his singing — especially in tracks like “Calling My Phone” and “F.N” — is what distinguishes him from other melodic rappers of his generation.
There is no medical documentation suggesting that his gunshot injuries affected his vocal cords. While the neck was hit, his ability to sing and speak appears unchanged post-recovery. His voice remains in the same tenor register as before the shooting, as evidenced by his post-recovery tracks.
The catch: fans often assume the high pitch is a product of studio effects or vocal processing. In reality, it’s simply how he sings — a natural instrument that, if anything, became more revered after his survival story emerged.
Timeline
- April 30, 2001: Tione Jayden Merritt born in Bronx, New York
- 2017: Released debut single ‘Resume’ on SoundCloud, gains traction
- 2018: Signed with Columbia Records
- 2019: Debut mixtape ‘No Comparison’ released; son T.J. born
- 2020: Mixtape ‘State of Emergency’ released
- 2021: Studio album ‘Destined 2 Win’ released
- June 22, 2022: Shot 7 times in Edgewater, NJ; placed in coma
- Early July 2022: Released from hospital; begins rehabilitation
- July 2023: Album ‘222’ released, discusses the shooting
- 2025: Ongoing music releases and tour dates
Confirmed facts and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Lil Tjay was shot 7 times on June 22, 2022 (Los Angeles Times)
- He was in a medically induced coma for approximately two weeks (iHeart)
- He has a son born in 2019
- His real name is Tione Jayden Merritt
- He returned to recording about eight weeks after the shooting (Sony Music Canada)
- First public comments and new track released August 26, 2022 (Vulture)
What remains unclear
- Exact net worth not independently verified; estimates vary from $3–5 million
- Long-term impact of gunshot injuries on his vocal cords not medically documented
- Legal status of the alleged shooter – case status not publicly finalized
- Exact hospital release date not confirmed by family or medical records
- Exact birth year of his daughter not independently verified; son born 2019 confirmed
- Real name (Tione Jayden Merritt) commonly accepted but not sourced from official records
Quotes from Lil Tjay and his family
“I remember nothing from that day. I woke up weeks later in a hospital bed.”
— Lil Tjay, in a Billboard (music industry publication) interview after recovery
“His mother said doctors were optimistic he would make a full recovery.”
— Family statement reported by iHeart (music news outlet)
Summary
Lil Tjay survived what should have killed him. Seven bullets, a two-week coma, and a year of recovery later, he’s back making music and raising two children. For fans and industry observers, the choice is clear: either view his post-shooting career as a diminished version of what might have been, or recognize it for what it is — a second act built on resilience, not hype. For the rapper himself, the implication is simple: every new track is a bonus.
complex.com, coastbrief.com, youtube.com, northjersey.com, en.wikipedia.org
Frequently asked questions
Is Lil Tjay still alive?
Yes, Lil Tjay is alive and actively making music. He survived a shooting on June 22, 2022, and has since released the album ‘222’ in July 2023 and continues to tour.
What song is Lil Tjay most famous for?
His most commercially successful song is “Calling My Phone” (featuring 6LACK), which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021. Other hit singles include “F.N” and “Brothers.”
How old is Lil Tjay?
Lil Tjay was born on April 30, 2001, making him 23 years old as of 2025.
What is Lil Tjay’s real name?
His real name is Tione Jayden Merritt. “Lil Tjay” is a stage name derived from his initials T.J.
How many albums does Lil Tjay have?
He has three studio albums: ‘True 2 Myself’ (2019), ‘Destined 2 Win’ (2021), and ‘222’ (2023). He also has two mixtapes: ‘No Comparison’ (2019) and ‘State of Emergency’ (2020).
Who shot Lil Tjay?
The alleged shooter is Mohamed Konate, who was arrested and charged in connection with the June 22, 2022 Edgewater shooting. The legal case is ongoing.
Did Lil Tjay go to jail?
No, Lil Tjay has never been incarcerated. He was the victim of a violent crime, not the perpetrator. He has remained free and active in his music career.
Related reading
- Nicki Minaj’s Citizenship, Trump, and Follower Loss (hip-hop artist biography, similar genre coverage)
- Royel Otis: Biography, Songs, Tour, and Fame Explained (music artist biography, evergreen content)
Victoria Hayes is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Wire Hub, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.